Sunday, 18 September 2011

Cheesecake fortress – a birthday cake

As my nephew, The Boy Wonder, is what I admiringly term ‘a cheesecake hoover’, he warmly received my idea of a cheesecake fortress for his 14th birthday cake.This idea developed from his initial request of “the biggest cheesecake you have ever made”.

Raspberry:

These cheesecakes are all made from the same “no bake” cheesecake recipe.It’s quick and easy to make and you end up with a light, delicious cheesecake that can hold its own alongside any fancier recipes.

Blackberry:

The recipe below sets out the basic quantities to make a 20cm cheesecake, but I doubled those to make the base, a 27cm beast!I then made a double batch and divided it up before adding different flavours to make the turrets – I simply made foil rings to keep them in shape.I toyed with using food rings but couldn’t face all the washing up when the cheesecakes were freed!

I am very lucky to have a fab foodie friend, the wonderful Miz Ratti who brought me back a most welcome gift from Germany – Philadelphia cream cheese mixed with Milka chocolate.Why isn’t this available in the UK?Why?????The task of making a chocolate cheesecake suddenly becomes laughably easy!

Chocolate:

Along with the chocolate ‘turret’ cheesecakes, I also made smooth peanut butter flavoured (with chocolate covered peanuts mixed in), blackberry, pineapple (simply a small tin of crushed pineapple) and raspberry flavours.The base (aka the 27cm beast) was a classic vanilla.

Peanut butter:

Pineapple:

You never have to worry about making too much cheesecake (is that even possible?I almost hate myself for typing that!) as it freezes well.To make it even easier, cut the slices and wrap them individually then you only need defrost what you want and the rest is safe for another day.

Happy 14th birthday Boy Wonder!

Ingredients

For the basic cheesecake mixture (this will make a 20cm round cheesecake, or 5 of the mini's I've made here):

Place the ring from a 20cm round springform tin on the plate you’ll server the cheesecake from. Wrap the ring in either clingfilm or greaseproof paper to ensure that you can free the cheesecake easily.

Butter and bics in the food processor -pulse it until the butter is distributed.

Use the crumbs to line the base of the cheesecake. Press them down onto the plate but not so hard that you create biscuity concrete!

Refrigerate while making the cheesecake.

Slice the vanilla pod in half and remove the seeds. (if you are using any other flavourings this is the time to add them)

Place seeds in a bowl along with the cream cheese and icing sugar and beat until smooth and well combined.

Thank you for your kind comment on my blogsite. Unfortunately my own blogsite doesn't recognise me and so I can't reply to other peoples comments - it said I was 'invalid' I am waiting for a compertery type friend to come and sort me out

Chocolate and cheese together? As in, one and same?! How have I not known about this?! Ah, yes, I don't live in Germany. That's in, Berlin here I come! Please, please can we start a petition to bring such an amazing, amazing item over to these shores? Did the Boy Wonder enjoy the Fortress? Silly question...it looks ace!

These look amazing!Happy Birthday to the Boy Wonder! I must warn all of you enthusiasts though that as I live in Germany and have unrestricted access to Milka Philly, I was rather underwhelmed by it at first taste, neither one nor the other flavour comes through,think of chocolate-flavoured yoghurt and you might get an idea. However, I did think the tangy combo of cream cheese and chocolate might work in a cheesecake, CC you are an inspiration! I will definitely be trying out your recipe. One question though, did you use all Milka Philly for the choc version?Looking at your list of ingredients for the peanut butter version that maybe those peanut butter chips by Heese's might also work. I ordered a very expensive bag of them via Amazon earlier this year and so far have used them to great effect in choc chip cookies, sadly very moreish.

Yes, I used all chocolate philly for the chocolate one. It had a mild and light texture - one of my eaters, who doesn't like cheesecake, tried it and really liked it as he thought it tasted like lovely whipped chocolate mousse but with more flavour.

Oh my goodness, that IS the most cheesecake I've ever seen in one place. Sigh, I live with a cheesecake hater and don't trust myself to make one just for me, have visions of eating frozen slices straight from the freezer in manner of addict. I'll content myself with the pictures of yours instead...

Genius idea!! I'd want a slice of all of them. That chocolate cream cheese looks deivine. Hope it will come to the UK soon. I know when I went to America a few years ago I was amazed at the cream cheese varieties they had

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